276 Dogs Rescued From New Jersey Hoarders’ House

Rescue workers are calling it “a hamster cage for dogs,” but “sardine can” might be more accurate.

Animal shelter volunteers and employees found 276 live dogs crammed into the shelves, platforms, and even the walls of a New Jersey couple’s two-level house last week.

“This is actually the worst hoarding case that we’ve ever experienced here in the history of Monmouth County,” Ross Licitra of the Monmouth County SPCA told the Asbury Park Press.

All 276 of the dogs were found alive, and most are in “fair” condition, Licitra said. Some were taken to emergency veterinary care, while a few were given oxygen at the scene. Every one of them will be up for adoption.

Licitra says the couple started out with eight dogs only three years ago, and never stopped them as they—and their offspring—began to breed.

The result is perhaps the strongest argument ever for spaying and neutering your dogs.